★ ★★★★

I don't think we talk enough about the fact that Alden was at a constant risk of relapse up until Prentice was finally healed.

Which makes Keefe saying this shit (↓) even shittier:

Okay let me explain— and backtrack a little.

we gotta first analyze how grady's mesmerizing works in this scene. essentially, it's like a funnel. his ability, and therefore his energy, is enhanced in the scene, so he focuses that energy on essentially stunning the beast, to use the language the next page uses. specifically lets look at how much power this takes grady to execute. the SECOND grady scrunches his brow— this mindless creature is out.

Then we get to the main scene:

this is masterful actually. It took me about ten reads and three close ones to realize what's happening here.

Grady almost killed his daughter. Or at least got damn close.

Let's go line by line:

— Grady holding onto her hand, fully embracing this power.

— her asking if he's okay to no response, just him staring vacantly.

but there's one more phrase in here, combined with everything else, that leads me to the "grady almost killed his daughter" conclusion.

his brow furrows. its almost animalistic, how shannon describes him studying her vacantly. like HE'S on autopilot— overtaken by his ability in no way we've seen in the series until this point. We've seen characters consumed by their ability, but they still manage to speak. They still manage to function. Grady can't— he, in these few moments, is in control of everyone's fates— and he almost starts with sophie's.